Track-brake



(Nq Model.)

. H. B. DIKEMAN.

v TRACK BRAKE. No. 487,555; Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. DIKEMAN, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

TRAC K- B RAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,555, dated December 6, 1892.

Application filed September 12, 1892. Serial No. 46,690. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. DIKEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, county of Alameda, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Track- Brakes; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improved brake for railway-cars.

It consists of peculiarly-arranged shoes attached to a vertically-moving brake-beam, mechanism by which said beam is actuated to produce a vertical movement from the horizontal movement of the power-rod, and in certain details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a truck, showing my brake. Fig. 2 is a transverse section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the brake block and shoe and the manner in which they are put together.

A is the brake-beam, which is placed beneath the usual bolster D and arch-bars G. This beam is adapted to move vertically up and down between guides E, the upper ends of which are secured to the bar F and the lower ends to a bar K, which is situated in line below the brake-beam and has its ends inclined upwardly, as shown at L, and attached to the horizontal bar F.

Through the center of the ends of the brakebeam A guide-rods I pass vertically from the bolster D or arch-bars to the bar K, being firmly fastened at one end with a nut, so as to be easily removable when it is desired to remove the brake-beam. It assists in guiding the brake-beam up and down and guards against its falling down upon the track.

The brake-blocks B are secured upon the brake-beam A and have outwardly-projecting flanges B along the bottom, with vertical grooves or notches I) made through them along the edges. The brake-shoes C have correspondin g upwardly-projectinglugs c, which fit into these grooves or channels, and the brake shoes are held in place by means of rods M, which pass through the lugs 0 above the notchedplates of thebrake-blocks, and thusretain the shoes in place and prevent their falling upon the track or becoming otherwise detached. By reason of the lugs and corresponding notches the brake-shoes are held very firmly in place and the brakes may be applied to the track in Whatever direction the cars may be moving.

In order to apply the brake, I have shown a bent lever H, which is fulcrumed, as shown at J. One end of this lever acts upon the top of the brake-beam A. The other extends upwardly and is connected by a horizontal rod N with the air brake cylinder or other means by which power is applied to force the brakes downwardly upon the track.

The brakes may be removed from the track by various means, either by the action of the returning-spring of the air-brake cylinder or by springs applied directly to the brake-beam, as may be preferred.

The ends of the brake-beam project beyond the bars K, so that these bars serve as a rest to prevent the brake-beam from falling upon the track in case of accident and also to support the lower ends of the guides between which the brake-beam moves.

The Whole device is designed to provide an effective brake which is applied upon the track instead of upon the Wheels and preserves the latter from the great Wear which takes place upon them when brakes are applied to their peripheries.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In attack-brake, and in combination with the truck, bolster, and arch-bars thereof, a vertically-moving brake-beam extending across the truck-frame between the wheels, guides between which the brake-beam is movable, brake blocks and shoes attached to and movable with the beam, and a lever fulcrumed as shown and having one end acting to force the brake-beam down and the other connected with the horizontal rod through which power is applied to the brake-beam, substantially as herein described.

2. In a track-brake, and in combination with the truck, bolster, and arch-bars thereof, a transverse brake-beam having brake-blocks attached at each end in line above the track and shoes removably attached to said brakeblocks and adapted to form a frictional contact with the track when the brake-beam is depressed, a bent lever fulcrn med to the truckframe, having one end acting to depress the brake-beam and the other connected with a horizontal bar or rod, guides between which the brake-beam moves, and the bar K, extending beneath the ends of the brake-beam, attached to the truck-frame, and serving as a support for the lower ends of the guide-bars, substantially as herein described.

3. In a track-brake, the verticall -*-1noviug brake-beam with lever mechanism by which it. is actuated and guidesbet ween and upon which it moves, brake-blocks secured to the ends of the beam in line above the tracks, said brakebloeks having the notched or corrugated flanges projecting from the bottom, and shoes having corresponding lugs adapted to fit the notches in the brake-blocks, together with rods M, by which the shoes are retained in place and prevented from becoming detached, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY E. DIKEMAN.

\Vitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, J. A. BAYLESS. 

